Articles Archive
Below are all our previously published articles and news items - blog posts will be included here too.
There are also 2 wordpress blog sites which we previously used and for whom content is still available, although they are not currently being updated:
View from the Gravy Train
Thanks 2 Legal Aid
Legal aid news: December 2018
Post date: 14th of January 2019Welcome to our update of the latest legal aid and access to justice news from December 2018.
Read more...Consent Order in Duncan Lewis no payment without permission JR
Post date: 14th of January 2019As requested at our London meeting on 9 January 2019, please find attached the consent order in Duncan Lewis' judicial review of the rules prohibiting payment in claims for judicial review in circumstances where permission has not been granted. Many thanks to Duncan Lewis and Tim Buley from Landmark Chambers for providing this.
Read more...Legal Aid News: November 2018
Post date: 17th of December 2018Welcome to our update of the latest legal aid and access to justice news from November 2018.
Criminal legal aid cuts: On 24 November, the government announced an additional £8m for criminal defence advocacy fees. An additional £23m (in total) will now be spent on the revised Crown court fee scheme for advocates.
Earlier this year, the government proposed to increase spending on the revised advocates' graduated fee scheme (AGFS) by £15m after criminal barristers refused to accept new work under the proposed new fee scheme.
Read more...Legal aid news: October 2018
Post date: 25th of November 2018Welcome to our update of the latest legal aid and access to justice news from October 2018.
Legal aid backdating challenge: October got off to a fantastic start with the government agreeing to amend the Civil Legal Aid (Procedure) Regulations 2012 to expressly allow for legal aid certificates to be backdated to the date of application for legal aid.
Read more...Resources from Discrimination Event
Post date: 21st of November 2018Attached to this post is Sarah Hannett's handout from the joint YLAL-DLA event on "Access to Justice for Victims of Discrimination" held in London on 14 November 2018. The handout is entitled: "Using the Equality Act 2010 in Public Law Claims".
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Legal aid news: August and September 2018
Post date: 29th of October 2018Welcome to our update of the latest legal aid and access to justice news from August and September 2018.
Criminal legal aid cuts
August got off to a fantastic start – the Law Society were successful in their challenge to the most recent cuts to criminal legal aid in what the Law Society described as a “ray of light to the justice system.”
Read more...Response to AGFS consultation
Post date: 13th of October 2018On 12 October 2018, Young Legal Aid Lawyers (YLAL) responded to the Ministry of Justice consultation on 'Amending the Advocates' Graduated Fee Scheme'. Our full response to the consultation is below.
We told the government that whilst we welcome the much-needed injection of additional funding into the Advocates' Graduated Fee Scheme (AGFS), we wish to make it absolutely clear that it is not enough. It is not enough to address the crisis within criminal legal aid and, more broadly, the criminal justice system as a whole.
Read more...YLAL Response to LASPO Review
Post date: 30th of September 2018YLAL has submitted its response to the Ministry of Justice Post-Implementation Review of Part 1 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012.
YLAL's submission concludes by setting out our analysis of the impact of LASPO in comparison to the stated aims of the legislation, within which our key proposals for reform are summarised.
Discouraging unnecessary and adversarial litigation at public expense
Read more...YLAL Response: Legal Aid for Inquests
Post date: 7th of September 2018Many of YLAL's members work closely with organisations such as INQUEST, the charity that supports bereaved families. YLAL supports the following recommendations by INQUEST in relation to legal aid for inquests:
a. Automatic non-means tested funding should be provided to families for specialist legal representation immediately following a state-related death.
b. Legal aid should also include financial support for families, with reference to: travel and subsistence, overnight accommodation, and loss of earnings.
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